Major League Baseball gets kudos for trying to broaden the appeal for baseball across the world. One of its approaches has been to foster broad international competition every three years with the World Baseball Classic tournament. Since the tournament was instituted in 2006, the competition has generated many memorable moments and outcomes. Yet the fact remains over half of the participating teams have weak rosters and practically have no chance of winning the tournament.
There are 20 teams in the tournament, playing across four pools (brackets). But let’s be honest, only half of the entries are truly competitive. Besides the USA, the other countries, where baseball is routinely played (through regular-season professional leagues and winter leagues), have a reasonable chance to challenge for the championship. They typically include Japan, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Korea, Mexico, and Cuba. Their teams typically have the highest percentage of international players in U. S. professional baseball and thus form the basis of their WBC starting lineups. The players from those teams and the USA give legitimacy to the overall WBC competition.
On the other hand, teams from Great Britain, Brazil, Czech Republic, Panama, Columbia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, and Chinese Taipei almost assuredly won’t get past the first round. Their rosters include a high number of players who have never appeared in the majors. The best example this year is Brazil’s outfielder Osvaldo Carvalho, a construction worker who has never been paid to play baseball.
As usual, Team USA’s roster is stocked with several of MLB’s best players. It is an all-star squad of position players led by Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Alex Bregman, and Bobby Witt Jr. The pitching staff is headlined by 2025 Cy Young Award winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, Brandon Webb, Mason Miller, and David Bednar. One might think the USA has an unfair advantage, with its historical dominance in the game, yet the Americans have won the title only once (2017) since the tournament began in 2006.
Japan, who has claimed three championships (2006, 2009, 2023), is always a formidable opponent. Their team is stacked again this year, with headliners including the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki, the White Sox’s new addition Munetaka Murakami, and the Blue Jays’ latest acquisition Kazuma Okamoto.
Dominican Republic perhaps has the most star-studded team in the tournament. The team features MLB all-stars Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero, Julio Rodriguez, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo, and Sandy Alcantara.
The USA squad plays in a relatively easy bracket, with three of its opponents—Italy, Brazil, and Great Britain--having little in-country baseball tradition and native players. Their rosters are highly dependent on MLB and minor-league players with familial national ties. Mexico is the fifth team in their pool.
Even though a number of the teams are less competitive, there always seem to be special-interest storylines surrounding them.
For example, baseball family ties are on display in this year’s tournament.
The Brazilian team includes Dante Bichette Jr., son of former MLB all-star Dante Bichette and brother of current MLB all-star Bo Bichette; Joseph Contreras, 17-year-old son of former MLB pitcher Jose Contreras; and Lucas Ramirez, 20-year-old son of former major-league slugger Manny Ramirez.
Druw Jones plays for the Netherlands, whose manager is his father, recent Hall of Fame electee Andruw Jones.
76-year-old Dusty Baker, a 26-year MLB manager whose last season was in 2023, came out of retirement to manage the Nicaraguan team. Former major leaguers Albert Pujols (Dominican Republic), Yadier Molina (Puerto Rico), and Benji Gil (Mexico) are leading their home countries’ teams as managers.
Great Britan outfielder Trayce Thompson’s family has a pro basketball background, with his brother Klay and father Mychal being former NBA players.
Former three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, who retired last year after 18 big-league seasons, joined Team USA’s pitching staff. He will be available for middle-inning relief appearances without having to worry about being ready for MLB’s regular season.
Despite the many stars manning the various teams, several MLB players who wanted to play in the tournament this year are absent because they were unable to obtain injury insurance. The most noticeable included Mike Trout (USA), Jose Altuve (Venezuela), and Francisco Lindor (Puerto Rico). The scrutiny over player risks stems from the 2023 tournament when all-star Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz missed the entire major-league season after injuring his arm in the on-field celebration following Puerto Rico’s victory over Dominican Republic.
World-wide fans are anxious to see the exciting plays that have come to characterize the tournament. Recall the confrontation between former Angels teammates Ohtani and Trout for the last out of the 2023 championship game. Ohtani struck out Trout on a series of 100+ mph pitches to cinch Japan’s 3-2 victory. It became an instant classic. Click here to review.
Already, fans have been treated to Ohtani’s knack for rising to the occasion in practically any situation. He hit a grand slam home run in his first WBC at-bat this year, while USA team captain Aaron Judge hit a home run in his first-ever WBC at-bat. Great Britain’s Thompson made a spectacular catch, robbing USA’s Will Smith home run. Brazil’s17-year-old Contreras broke Judge’s bat in an inning-ending double-play. The Netherlands and Puerto Rico won games on walk-off home runs on the same day.
How about this as the defining play this year—USA turns the table on Japan, with Kershaw striking out Ohtani for the final out to clinch a USA championship?